| | Two medical or health organizations filed [[amicus brief|amici briefs]] arguing that medicine or health supports [[gun control]]. The American Public Health Association led one such brief, in which it argued that:<ref>http://www.gurapossessky.com/news/parker/documents/07-290acAmericanPublicHealthAssociation.pdf</ref> | | Two medical or health organizations filed [[amicus brief|amici briefs]] arguing that medicine or health supports [[gun control]]. The American Public Health Association led one such brief, in which it argued that:<ref>http://www.gurapossessky.com/news/parker/documents/07-290acAmericanPublicHealthAssociation.pdf</ref> |
| − | :Firearms have a profound effect on the public's health in the United States. In 2004 (the latest year for which complete data are available), there were 29,569 firearm-related deaths in the United States, including homicides, suicides, and accidental deaths. Ctrs. for Disease Control & Prevention, Web-Based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System (WISQARS) Injury Mortality Reports, 1999-2004 (July 2007), http://webappa.cdc.gov/sasweb/ncipc/mortrate10_sy.html. In addition, there were more than 70,000 non-fatal shootings serious enough to require a hospital visit in the U.S. in 2006. There were also an estimated 477,040 victims of non-fatal violent crimes committed with a firearm in 2005. | + | :Firearms have a profound effect on the public's health in the United States. In 2004 (the latest year for which complete data are available), there were 29,569 firearm-related deaths in the United States, including homicides, suicides, and accidental deaths. Ctrs. for Disease Control & Prevention, Web-Based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System (WISQARS) Injury Mortality Reports, 1999-2004 (July 2007), http://webappa.cdc.gov/sasweb/ncipc/mortrate10_sy.html. In addition, there were more than 70,000 non-fatal shootings serious enough to require a hospital visit in the U.S. in 2006. There were also an estimated 477,040 victims of non-fatal violent crimes committed with a firearm in 2005. Ctrs. for Disease Control & Prevention, Web-Based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System (WISQARS) Nonfatal Injury Reports (Sept. 2007), http://webappa.cdc.gov/sasweb/ncipc/nfirates2001.html; Bureau of Justice Statistics, Firearms and Crime Statistics (Mar. 2007), http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/guns.htm. The total societal cost of this firearm related violence has been estimated at $100 billion per year. Philip J. Cook & Jens Ludwig, Gun Violence: The Real Costs 117 (Oxford Univ. Press 2000). |
| − | Ctrs. for Disease Control & Prevention, Web-Based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System (WISQARS) Nonfatal Injury Reports (Sept. 2007), http://webappa.cdc.gov/sasweb/ncipc/nfirates2001.html; Bureau of Justice Statistics, Firearms and Crime Statistics (Mar. 2007), http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/guns.htm. The total societal cost of this firearm related violence has been estimated at $100 billion per year. Philip J. Cook & Jens Ludwig, Gun Violence: The Real Costs 117 (Oxford Univ. Press 2000). | |
| − | :Scientific evidence is the starting point for the public health approach to problems like gun violence. “The scientific core of public health is epidemiology, which identifies the risk factors, trends, and causes of health problems.” David Hemenway, Private Guns, Public Health 9 (2004). Because gun violence is a major public health problem that needs to be addressed | + | :Scientific evidence is the starting point for the public health approach to problems like gun violence. “The scientific core of public health is epidemiology, which identifies the risk factors, trends, and causes of health problems.” David Hemenway, Private Guns, Public Health 9 (2004). Because gun violence is a major public health problem that needs to be addressed through a variety of actions, including legislation and regulation, amici respectfully submit the following information to aid the Court’s analysis of |